Sunday, December 16, 2012

Stratfor's Kaplan on The Rise of Asia

Robert Kaplan comments for Stratfor on the coming Rise of Asia and the implications for its regional stability:

Note that his description of Japan's LDP could also similarly describe the Congress Party. At least Japan has never stooped to having a foreign-born PM, nor have any of their PMs built themselves into a dynasty or Personality Cult. The Imperial Palace has always stayed out of domestic partisan political fights. Despite having different regional lobbies, Japan at least doesn't have any large 5th-columnist demographic constituency in their country. That's why despite LDP's corrupt track record, they can still come together to support nationalist causes, even while India's Congress Party is terrified of hanging Afzal Guru.

India will need a more nationalist Japan to help distract China away from India, thus giving us more leverage and latitude in our relations with the Dragon.